TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Billie Morin This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Celia A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

blanche-2 Dick Powell stars with Ann Sheridan and Gale Page in "Naughty but Nice," a film from 1939 that also features Helen Broderick and Zasu Pitts, Ronald Reagan, Allen Jenkins and Max Rosenbloom.Powell is Professor Hardwick who teaches at Winfield College and hates swing music, which is the new craze. He has written a piece, classical of course, and he goes to New York to have it published.He stays with his Aunt Martha (Broderick) who loves swing as do all her friends. A nondrinker, he develops a love for lemonade which is actually a Hurricane and drinks them like juice, becoming bombed.He finally sells his piece to Eddie (Reagan), and he has Linda McKay (Page) put lyrics to it -- and turn it into a big swing number, performed by Zelda (Sheridan). Eddie and McKay are the Rogers & Hammerstein of swing, but Zelda wants in, not only wanting to sing, but having the music published by Hudson, the Home of the Hits. Lots and lots of music, and this is such a nice cast. However, somewhere the movie went awry. For one thing, it's too long. It was hard to stay interested in it.I should have liked it a lot more. Warren and Mercer were responsible for most of the songs, and some of them were based on classical pieces. Somehow it just fell flat. A shame.

utgard14 Stuffy music professor (Dick Powell) hates popular swing music but the only person interested in the rhapsody he's written is a pop music lyricist (Gale Page). She puts words to his music and turns it into a big hit with the swing crowd. The duo are very successful until a sexy singer (Ann Sheridan) tries to lure the professor astray.Nice comedy with a good cast. Powell does fine but, despite the plot involving music, he never sings. He does learn what the A, B, and C types of love are from Gale Page and Ann Sheridan. Page is wonderful. She has a genial charm about her that is a joy to watch. Sheridan is sexy and, well, full of oomph! A very fun supporting cast with the likes of ZaSu Pitts, Maxie Rosenbloom, Allen Jenkins, and Vera Lewis. Granville Bates has a funny role as a judge. Songs are nothing special but the humor and likable cast helps.

mkilmer NAUGHTY BUT NICE works. Dick Powell plays a daffy professor, but the real sparkle is from Helen Broderick as the big city aunt who does the jazz thing, gets her visiting nephew, an aspiring classical composer, involved in the wonderful world of pop jazz songwriting. He's a success, despite the criticisms of his University dean (Halliwell Hobbes) and his three quasi-abolitionist sisters (Vera Lewis, Elizabeth Dunne, and the always fascinating Zasu Pitts).Good film. The Ed "Eddie" Clark character handled a team of songwriters, and while Powell was tricked into working for another, his love interest worked for the Clark team. I found myself standing whenever Clark appeared on screen.

tarpoff I don't place comments on most of the movies I watch (and I am a major film buff, particularly the classics of the late 30's, 40's and 50's, but I felt it necessary here as most of the comments are based on viewers with a Dick Powell focus. Powell's heyday was a little prior the timeframe of my expertise so I am not commenting upon those comments, however, Ann Sheridan is one of the most underrated actresses in film and she is outstanding in this, not to mention gorgeous. The movie is more entertaining than Powell's fans have let on with the final third of the movie quite entertaining for anyone. The increasing frustration of Powell's collegiate colleagues culminating in breaking a tree limb is well done. The scene prior to the court trial with Sheridan slapping everyone repeatedly in the producer's office is outstanding and a "must see" for film fans.